The Reality of Long-Haul Flights With Kids (From a Parent Who’s Done It)
Travelling with my kids is our favourite adventure: but that doesn’t mean it’s always fun. And it would be doing all of us a disservice if I sat here and told you that taking long-haul flights with kids is a picnic.
But the truth? Taking a long-haul flight isn’t a breeze. And it isn’t a disaster either! After multiple long-haul flights with our children, including overnight routes and flights with long layovers, here’s the honest reality of flying long-distance as a family. No scares, just facts and first-hand experiences!
Our boys are now 10 and 13, and flying with them is easy peasy, but I’ve based this on our years of experience of flying with the boys since they were babies and toddlers.
Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
1. They Probably Won’t Sleep Like You Hope
Let’s just get this one out of the way first. Even at 10 and 13, my boys barely sleep when we fly. I now spend so much time working out what time we need to sleep and for how long to avoid jetlag, only to fall asleep myself while the boys sit and watch films. Falling asleep on a plane is HARD, and I think it’s a universally accepted fact that children rarely sleep exactly when or how you expect.
They might:
- Nap for two hours and then be wide awake
- Refuse to sleep at all
- Fall asleep during landing (this happened to us when we landed in Korea last year, and our youngest just WOULDN’T WAKE UP! We ended up carrying him off the plane, and it was not fun)
- Sleep brilliantly (once, and never again)
The key shift is this: stop planning the “perfect sleep scenario” and start planning how you’ll cope if they don’t sleep. Think about what the local time is when you land, how realistic is it that you can put them to bed then? That mental adjustment changes everything and stops you feeling so stressed about the whole thing.
I also recommend adjusting your children’s sleeping pattern slowly before fly, if you can. Going to bed half an hour early each night, having a lie in the morning before you fly, whatever you need to ensure they’ve got enough sleep, even if it isn’t when you wanted them to!
👉Check out The Best Underseat Backpack For Travelling With Kids: Our CabinZero Review
2. Screens Are Not the Enemy (On Long-Haul Flights)
At home, you might limit screen time. Our boys still don’t have ipads because I just don’t trust YouTube. On a 13-hour flight? Survival rules apply. Screens aren’t the enemy on long haul flights with kids, they’re a welcome co-parent!
Long-haul flights are not the place to prove a parenting point. They’re about:
- Keeping everyone regulated
- Reducing stress
- Passing time peacefully
Download films. Bring headphones. Load games. My boys LOVE the in-flight entertainment on long-haul flights and guessing what new-release films we’ll be able to watch is a frequent dinner table conversation just before we fly. We also let them bring their Nintendo Switches and we turn off their screen limits for the flight.
This is not everyday life. It’s a contained travel environment. Give yourself permission to let your kids have as much screen time as they need: this isn’t the parenting Olympics, and noone is judging you!
And if you’re not keen on screens? That’s OK too! Just be prepared with loads of activities: puzzle, colouring, sticke books are all great options. Check out our own Fun Travel Activities For Kids – From Our Family Adventures! I created these myself especially for kids like mine.
3. Other Passengers Are Usually Kinder Than You Expect
This one surprises many parents. Social media make children who fly seem like the enemy: i’ve seen videos of parents giving other passengers gifts to apologise for their behaviour before they even take off. There’s really no need for this!
In my opinion, your children are people, and like all people, they’re allowed to exist in a public space. Of course, there are some people that don’t want to have to deal ith kids on flights, but these are far fewer than the people who have been there themselves, and know you’re trying your best.
Most people:
- Put headphones on
- Ignore minor noise
- Smile reassuringly
- Offer help
Are there occasional eye-rolls? Possibly. But they are far fewer than you imagine at 2am when you’re packing.
And if you’re kids are a little older? Be the person you’d wish you’d been sat next to when you were flying with smaller kids! I once held a baby all the way from Scotland to London so that her mama could deal with her fussing older sister on a night flight. My husband has coloured with his seat mates on more than one occasion: We’re all parents, and we’re all in it together!
If you only remember one thing from this article let it be this: You are allowed to take up space on a plane. Children are allowed to exist in public.
4. Long Haul Flights Are Physically Draining for Parents
Even if your children cope beautifully, long-haul flights are tiring in a way short flights aren’t. This is because (even with the best behaved, or older kids like mine) you’re on alert and anticipating their needs all the time.
This means you are:
- Half-sleeping
- Monitoring constantly
- Managing food, bathroom breaks, comfort levels, and more
- Trying to make nervous fliers stay calm
Arrive knowing you will feel depleted and like you’ve run a marathon. Even if all you’ve done is sit and watch films for 20 hours!
Build your first day around that reality.
Don’t schedule something intense straight after landing if you can avoid it.
It’s Not Magical, But It Is Worth It
If someone tells you that long haul flights with kids are magical, please don’t believe them and then feel bad about your own more chaotic experience. No one looks radiant after a long-haul flight with children. You won’t step off the plane feeling refreshed or like you had a ‘magical’ experience with your kids.
But what you gain on the other side: new countries, new cultures, shared memories, will always make the journey worthwhile.
The flight is the gateway, not the holiday. So if you have a bad flight, don’t let that ruin your whole trip! It does get better: soon you’ll have a 13 year old like me. And he’s more self-sufficient on the plane than my husband!
Looking for more advice? Check out my Top Tips for Long Haul Flights with Kids
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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!
